2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Kingsley Suamataia

Prospect Summary:

After his third season, Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell is among the best, if not the best, offensive linemen in the NFL. Sewell has a great skill set and is a dominant blocker. Hence, there would inherently be a lot of interest in his cousin Kingsley Suamataia. Like Sewell, Suamataia started out his collegiate career at Oregon, but unlike his cousin, he did not stay with the Ducks, instead transferring to BYU. With the Cougars, Suamataia broke out in the 2022, not allowing a sack all year. He played on both sides of the offensive line for BYU over the next two seasons. Like Sewell at Oregon, Suamataia wowed with a freaky skill set of size, speed, and athleticism for a big, physical blocker.

Suamataia possesses a special skill set to be an edge protector in the NFL. He has quick feet and the length to shut off the corner from speed rushers. Thanks to his smooth athleticism alongside his speed, Suamataia can play the typewriter with his feet to cut off the edge. He also will use his quickness and agility to glide defenders around the pocket and open up the left side as an option for quarterbacks to slide laterally. Suamataia uses his hands and length well to get his defender blocked off the snap. There is no doubt that Suamataia has the physical ability to mirror speed rushers coming off the edge, as he is a freaky athlete for a big edge blocker.

Late in the 2023 season and at the Senior Bowl, Suamataia showed some inconsistency, so he could use some development. He needs to improve his lower body strength for one. Occasionally, Suamataia will overset, and he can be late to react to some stunts and games. While Suamataia has good feet and length, sometimes his feet go still and he relies on his length too much to reach after rushers. That allows some second efforts by defensive linemen to break free from him.

In the ground game, Suamataia flashes some special ability. He has some serious strength and power in his upper body that lets him absolutely bury defenders or drive them backward off the line of scrimmage. With his raw violence, Suamataia can be an impactful blocker who opens holes by driving defenders off the ball. Thanks to his special athleticism and quickness, Suamataia is very adept at getting out in space, and he is superb in the open field and is very fast to the second level. That translates to him being superb in the screen game as well. Suamataia has the power to drive block and knock defenders off the ball. Sometimes, Suamataia can be overly aggressive to knock defenders into next week, and that leads him to missing his defender dodge. Suamataia needs to play more in control to avoid missed assignments.

Team sources said at the start of the 2023 season that they felt Suamataia looked like a potential high first-rounder. His play, however, was inconsistent, and his tape in the back half of the season was not as good. Suamataia has a shot at going late in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft because he has the physical talent to be a starting left or right tackle, but he could be more likely to go in Round 2.